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DVD Review: Muddy Waters

Classic Concerts
Muddy Waters
Hip-O Records

Thanks to DVD, a slew of great blues performances from the past get a new life on disc. One of the best examples is this collection of three Muddy Waters performances from three different parts of his career.

It starts with his historical performance at the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival (considered one of the best live blues albums ever recorded). In suits and ties, Waters and his band (including James Cotton and Otis Spann) win over the jazz fest crowd. The highlight is the two versions of “Got My Mojo Workin’” which led to Muddy dancing smoothly by himself and later with Cotton. This performance can be heard for the first time in stereo.

Eight years later, Waters is performing at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival with a new band (except for Spann). The dress is looser and Muddy’s hair is in his pompadour phase (a great piece of irony for the late ‘60s). The picture is sharper and camera work more intimate. Guitar nuts can study his hot slide solo on “Long Distance Call.” Pianist Otis Spann gets to sing a couple tunes (“Nobody Knows My Trouble” and “Cold Cold Feeling”).

The last section is from the Molde Jazz Festival in Norway from 1977. Behind Muddy’s 1950’s band, this was his best line-up (drummer Willie Smith, bassist Fuzz Jones, pianist Pinetop Perkins, harmonica guy Jerry Portnoy and guitarists Bob Margolin and Luther “Guitar Jr.” Johnson). Muddy is in an open vest and no jacket, sitting on a stool and enjoying his title as one of the blues’ elder statesmen.

This is a must-have for any blues fan. Those into music history should also check this out.
Warning: Those who watch this in one sitting will hear a repeat of “Tiger In Your Tank,” while “Hoochie Coochie Man” and “Mojo” are played on all three sets. If you didn’t think these songs should be retired, you will — after hearing Muddy perfect it, a bar band version doesn’t even come close.